Recording device



mean, 11.3, H932. 1F. LOWITZ RECORDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 7, 1930 3Sheets-Sheet l Dam H3 3932, F. LOWlTZ RECORDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 7.1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 U W 6 0 4 9f M 6 M W m L1 y W. 5 W

W: L} w/ 0 w Z mwwm 1F. LOWBTZ Mme 13% 119329 EVICE RECORDINGD 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 7. 1930 Patented Dec. 13, 1932 PATENT OFFICEFRANK LOWITZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RECORDING DEVICE Application filed January 7, 1930. Serial No. 419,159.

My invention relates to recorders for telephones and is particularlyadapted for use as an attachment in connection with dial telephones, towhich it may be readily attached and automatically operated therefrom.

Briefly stated, my invention is as follows: When a call number is dialedin the usual manner the receiver is removed from the 13 hook and thedesired call is made by rotating the dial accordingly. My invention,therefore, is associated with the dial telephone instrument in such anovel manner that with the removal of the telephone receiver fromits'respectivc hook, certain indicia recording mechanism is unlocked andat the same time properly set so that a permanent record may be had ofthe numbers as they are selectively and individually dialed. As the dialis rotated to each predetermined stop, depending upon the call desiredby the operator, the number wheel is simultaneously caused to registeron a paper strip or tape so that upon reaching the extreme limit ofsuccessive movement of the dial, a printed record is made upon the paperstrip.

The subscriber now has a record of the complete set of numbers whichmade up that particular call. If the subscriber completes 39 thetelephone call, no further attention need be given; otherwise, uponreplacing the receiver upon the hook, the paper strip will automaticallybe caused to feed into a position which is clearly visible to thesubscriber.

[it this tme he may indicatewith a pencil, if desired, any comment hewishes to make, as, for example, line busy, or no answer. Notations mayalso be made of unusual calls, as when long distance calls are made.

43 When the receiver is replaced upon its hook, the paper strip is movedover into a position, ready for its next successive print-- 'ingoperation simultaneously with the resetting of the number wheel to itsinitial position together with the locking of the number wheel toprevent the movement thereof. These positions are, of course, automatically retained as long asthe receiver is in its pos tion upon itsrespective receiver hook.

My invention is not to'be limited to the details as shown and described,but extends to whatever constructions may be included within the termsor language of the appended claims. a

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of thelower portion of a dial telephoneillustrating my invention in its attached relationship;

F1gure 2 is a top plan view thereof, partly broken. away and thereceiver hook indicated in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure 7looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating my invention infront elevation;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4.-4 of Figure5;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side view of the opposite end thereof illustrating thecasing removed and shown in dotted lines, or as indicated by the arrow 6in Figure 4, and

Figure Tie a cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 through Figure4:.

My invention, in the form or embodiment shown in the drawings andbriefly described, comprises a casing, 10, which is preferablyconstructed of relatively thin sheet metal and of any desirableconfiguration to efiectively cover the structural details of myinvention. This casing, 10, may be provided with a rear plate, 11, towhich is secured a clamp, 12, for fastening to the usual standard of thetelephone in any desired manner. A pair of vertically extending framesections or plates, 13 and 1.4:, are utilized within the casing, 10, andare held in their spaced relationship by any suitable means, not shown.

A revoluble shaft, 15, is mounted between the side plates, 13 and 14,and is provided with a keyway, 16, for a purpose to be hereinafterdescribed. A worm gear, 17, is keyed or otherwise fastened to one end ofthis shaft 15, and is adapted to be engaged by a worm:

18, which is pinned to the upper end of the shaft, 19. The shaft, 19,preferably located on the outer side of the plate, 14, is journalled inthe bearings, 20, and has fastened upon its lowered extreme end a gear,21, and is adapted and 26. One side of outwardl and slots, 35, for thpitch and so pro reduced polygonal to mesh with and be engaged by theroughened edges or teeth on the outer periphery of the dialing disc, 22,as is clearly indicated in Figures 1 and 2. It is obvious, therefore,that as the dialing plate, 22, is rotated, the mating gear, 21, Wlllsimultaneously cause the rotation of the shaft 15.

The number wheel, 23,1s keyed to the shaft, 15, adapted for lengthwisemovement thereon and is provided on its outer periphery with indiciacorres onding in character and number with the ial of the particulartelephone to which it is adapted. It may be here stated that the gears,17, 18, and 21, are of a size and erly timed corresponding with theintervals tween the openings in the dialing plate, 22, and the severalnumbers on the number wheel, 23. A verted U-shaped member or carriage,24, is arran ed to extend on either side of the number w eel, 23, forthe purpose of movin it sidewise. The carriage member, 24, is s idablealong the shaft, 15, and guided at its upper end between a pair ofparallel rods,

the upperend of this carprovided with a pair of extending toothedportions, 27 and 28, for t e purpose of engaging similarly formednotched portions in the rods, 25 and riage member, 24, is

The rod, 25, is mounted for rotative and len thwise movement within theplates, 13 an 14, whereas the rod, 26, is mounted to rotate and to slidetransversely within the slots, 29, in the plates, 13 and 14, withrespect to its mating rod, 25, as is clearly shown in Figures 4, 5, 6and 7. In order that both sets of oppositely disposed teeth on the rods,25 and 26, shall engage the toothed portions, 27 and 28 of the carriagemember, 24, I utilize a pair of coil springs, 30, which are. connectedto each outer end of the transversely slidable rod, 26.

One end of the rod, 25, is provided with a portion, 31, on which ismounted a link, 32. A similarly formed link, 33, is pinned or fastenedto the reduced end of the rod, 26. Each of these links is connected tothe transversely mounted and slidable strip, 34, through the medium ofpins e purpose of oscillating the rods, 25 and 26, about one-fourth of aturn. The reason for rotating these rods is to cause the disengagementbetween the teeth in the rods and the coacting teeth, 27 and 28,]

of the carriage, for a reason to be later described. The front end ofthe strip, 34, passes through the front end of the casing, 10,

y which means it is guided, whereas the rear end ofthis strip isprovided with a'laterally extending pin, 36, which is adapted forengagement within the an lar slot, 37, formed in the bar, 38, as isclear y shown in Figure 5. This bar, 38, is disposed for verticalmovement within the casing, 10, and is supported substantially in-'against displacement within the slot, 39, provided in the upper end ofthe casin 10, and is further supported at its lower end%) means of thelug, 40, carried by the rear p ate, 11. A'coil spring, 41, is mountedupon the reduced lower portion of the bar, 38, for the purpose ofnormally holding the bar in its raised position. From the dottedposition of the bar, 38, illustrated in Figure 5, it will be noted thatthe strip, 34, is moved in a horizontal position sufficiently tooscillate the links, 32 and 33, about ninety degrees for the pur; poseof moving the toothed portion of the rods, 25 and 26, out of theiropposite alignment thereby permittmg the return of the carriage member,24, to its initial position. The return movement of the carriage isaffected b means of the spring drum, 42, and the flexib e connection,43. Referring particularly to Figure 4 and 7, it will be seen that theflexible cord, 43, is passed about the spring drum, 42, and thencearound the pulleys, 44, from which it is directed and fastened to theupper end of the carriage member, 24, as in icated at 45.

The means for returning the carriage member, 24, to its initial positionas for beginning the next operation may be described as follows: Atransversely extending pin, 46, is secured to one of the outer ends ofthe rod, 25 and is adapted to rest against and be actuate by the arm,47, of the bell crank lever, which is suitably pivoted to the partitionplate, 14,

as shown. The other arm,-47, of this bell crank lever is adapted to beengaged by the pivotally mounted pawl, 48, which is carried at the upperend of the slidable rod, 49. A comparatively light leaf spring may beemployed to hold the pawl in its upright position. This slidable rod,49, is preferably held in its proper position by means of the bearingarms or lugs, 50. A coil spring, 51, may be used for normally holdingthe slidable rod, 49, in its uppermost position. In order to actuate theraising and lowering of the rod 49, I employ a link, 52, which ispivoted to the lower end of the slidable rod, 49, and a bell cranklever, 53, whose lower end is connectedto the operating lever, 54, whichis provided with a finger operating end, 55. In order to normally holdthe pin, 46, against the arm, 47, of the bell crank lever, I may providea leaf spring, 56, as is clearly shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6.

A bar, 58, is slidably mounted between guide flanges of the apron, 59,as is clearly indicated in Figures 3 and 7, and is adapted at the propertime to force the paper strip toward the predeterminedly set number onthe number wheel, 23. This is accomplished in the following manner: Arotatably mounted shaft, 60, is located between the partition plates, 13and 14, and is provided with a pair of cams, 61, located adjacent to thebar, 58. On the outer side of the partition plate, 14,

III

and pinned to the protruding end of the shaft, 60, is a relatively shortarm, 62, as is obvious from the disclosures in Figure 6. This arm, 62,is actuated by means of lower and upper pins, 63 and 64, which arecarried by the slidable rod, 49. These pins are so relatively spaced asto cause the oscillation of the shaft, 60, to move the cams, 61, againstthe adjacent bar, 58, to affect the desired contact between the bar andthe number wheel,

The paper strip, 66, may be mounted upon suitable spools, 67, in anydesired manner, so that while one is unwinding and becoming smaller indiameter, its mating spool or roll will enlarge, proportionately. A pairof friction rollers, 68 and 69, are suitably mounted in the partitionplates, 13 and 14, so that they may eflectually feed the paper strippredetermined amounts at a time. This is accomplished by means of aratchet wheel, 70, pinned to the friction roll, 69, and which is engagedby a spring actuated pawl, 71, carried by the slidable arm, 72. Slotsmay be formed in the arm, 72, for the purpose of receiving the headedpins, 73, which are secured to the partition plate, 13, whereby the arm,72, may be guided with respect thereto.

A lug, 74, is upwardly extended and integral ly formed with the arm, 72,and is so proportioned as to act as a stop and be contacted by the lug,75, formed on a collar which is pinned to one end of the shaft, 15, asis clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Should it be found desirable to feed the paper strip manually, this maybe readily accomplished by actuating the knurled knob, 79, which ispinned to the outer end of the roller shaft, 68. An opening, 78, isformed in the casing, 10, adjacent to a portion of the apron, 59, which,it will be noted, supports the paper strip, 66, so that the subscribermay indicate notes upon the paper strip.

The several raised figures of the number wheel, 23, may be inked in anydesired manner, as for example, by the roller, 80, which is pivotallysupported by means of a pair of arms integrally formed with the carriagemember, 24.

Having thus described the various details of my invention, the operationthereof will be very apparent. Before beginning the dialing operation,the receiver must, of course, be removed from its respective hook, whichoperation raises the spring actuated bar, 38. The lifting of this baroscillates the toothed shafts. 25 and 26, through the med um of the arm,34, thereby placing these toothed shafts in an operative position. "Thisaction of the bar, 38, also permits the sliding arm, 72, to returnto anew paper feeding position, by

- reason of the lug 75, pushing the upwardly extending-lug 74 of thesliding arm 72, upon beginning the dialing operations.

The usual dialing operation which now follows the lifting of thereceiver from the hook, takes place. While dialing, it will, of course,be obvious that the rotation of the gear, 21, will cause the rotation ofthe number wheel, 23, the desired distance to turn it the desiredamount. Just before finally completing each individual dialing operationthe finger which has been inserted in the desired opening of the dial,22, actuates the operating end, 55, of the lever, 54, thereby liftingthe rod, 49, to affect the camming action against the bar, 58, forprinting the dialed number upon the paper strip, 66. The pawl, 48, whichis now in its raised position or as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3,contacts with the arm, 47, of the bell crank lever so that the downwardmovement thereof will cause the toothed shaft, 25, to slide sufiicientlyagainst the tension of the spring, 56, the distance of one tooth,thereby advancing the carriage member, 24, one step. The device is nowready for printing each successive number, the operations thereof beingidentical.

When the receiver, however, is replaced upon its hook, as when the callis completed, the toothed shafts, 25 and 26, are turned at right angles,which will cause the toothed portions to be disengaged from the pointedends, 27 and 28, of the carriage member, 24,

thereby permitting the return of this car.- riage to its initialposition by means of the spring drum, 42. Simultaneously with thisaction the forward movement of the arm, 72, by reason of the camsurface, 76, will cause the paper to feed the desired amount or as isclearly indicated by the several rolls of numbers on the paper, 66, inFigure 3. The raising of the arm 38, as when answering a call, does notfeed the paper; this action being only aflected after beginning dialing.

When my invention is used in connection with dial telephones of theswitch-board type, it 'is ObVlOllS that the arm 38, may be manuallydepressed at the completion of each dialing operation.

What I claim is:

1. A recording device for use with dial telephones, a single numberingwheel bearing characters corresponding to dial characters, a receivingstrip on which the wheel characters may be successively printed, meansfor setting the numbering wheel in accordance with each dial movement,and means for automatically shifting the numbering Wheel axially to anew printing position relative to the strip at the completion of eachdial movement.

2. A recording device for use with dial telephones, a single numberingwheel mounted for rotation and axial movement, means for compellingrotative movement of the numbering wheel in each rotative movement ofthe dial, and means for compelling axial shifting movement of the wheelimmediately following the completion of each dial'movement.

3. A recording device for use with dial telephones, including a singlenumbering wheel, a receiving strip on which the numbers of the wheelmaiy e supporting the whee for rotative and axial movement, an elementresponsive to each dial movement for actuating the wheel suporting meansto rotate the wheel to predetermined printing position relative to saidstrip, means coo eratmg with said wheel for compelling axia movement ofsaid wheel, and means automatically responsive to and following the comletion of each dial movement to actuate t e means for compelling axialmovement of the wheel.

4. A recording device for use with dial telephones, including a singlenumbering wheel mounted for rotative and axial movement, a carria e forcompelling axial movement of the w eel, shafts formed withlongitudinally-ranging notches, projections on the carriage to engage insaid notches to hold the numbering wheel in predetermined axialposition, and means incident to dial operation for longitudinally movingone of said shafts to move the carriage and thereby the wheel intocooperation with the next succeeding notch in the other shaft.

A construction as defined in claim 4 with the addition of means forsimultaneously rotating both shafts to displace their notches relativeto the carriage and free the latter, and means for returning the freedcarriage and thereby the numbering wheel to a firedetermined normalposition.

6. telephones, including a single wheel having characters correspondingto dial characters, means for mounting the wheel for rotative and axialmovement, a strip on which the characters of the wheel may be printed, aprinting element for forcing the strip and wheel into printingcooperation, means responsive to each dial movement to compel rotativesetting movement of the wheel, means responsive to the completion ofeach dial movement for actuating the printing element, and meansautomatically following each complete dial movement for compelling axialmovement of the wheel.

recording device for use with dial telephones of the type including ahook for the receiver, including a shaft mounted for rotation. anumbering wheel keyed on the shaft vfor inde ndent axial movement, acarria e for moving the wheel axially, notched sha ts normallypositioned to cause their opposed notches to engage and hold thecarriage, a

receiving strip on which the characters on the wheel may be printed,means responsive to dial movement to turn the shaft on which the wheelis mounted to thereby position the wheel characters in relation to saidstrip,

printed, means forcharacters correspon recording device for use with.dial means responsive to the completion of each dial movement forinsurin printing cooperation of said stri and saicf wheel, and meansautomatically fgllowing the completion of each dial movement foroperating said notched shafts for com lling axial movement of thecarriage and thereby the wheel, means for feeding the stri and means tothe release of the receiver ook of the telehone for operating thenotched shafts to reease the carriage and simultaneousl feeding thereceiving strip to a new printing posit on.

'8. A construction as described in claim 7, with the addition of meansfor returning the carriage and thereby the wheel to a predeterminednormal position following operation of the notched shafts to releaseposition.

9. Arecording device for use with dial telephones of the t pe involvin amovable receiver hook, inc udin a sing e wheel having ti ing to thecharacters on the dial, means for shifting the wheel in correspondencewith dial movement, means following each dial operation for shifting thewheel axially, said means including a carriage cooperating with thewheel and formed with opposed projections, spaced shafts having theirnormally adjacent peripheral portions formed with teeth to engage saidPIOJBCtlOIlSpmechanism for shifting one of the shafts longit-udinally tothereby similarly move the carriage wheel, an arm projecting from eachshaft for rotatin the shaft to disalign the notches therein with respectto the carriage, a bar connecting the arms for compelling simultaneousmovement thereof, and a mem ber connected to the bar and responsive tothe movements of the receiver hook of the telephone, said member in oneposition maintaining the shafts with their notches in automaticalignment to enga e the projections of the carriage and in the ot erposition to move the shafts to disalign the notches to free thecarriage.

10. A recording device for use with dial telephones of the t y einvolving a movable receiver hook, inclu ing a single wheel havingcharacters correspondin to the characters on the dial, means forshlfting the wheel in correspondence with dial movement, means followingeach dial operation for shifting the wheel axially, said means includinga carriage cooperating with the wheel and formed with opposedprojections, spaced shafts having their normally adjacent peripheralportions formed with teeth to engage 'said pro ections, mechanism forshifting one of the shafts longitudinally to thereby similarly move thecarriage wheel, an arm projecting from each shaft for rotating the shaftto disali the notches therein w1th respect to the carria e, a barconnecting the arms for compel ing simultaneous movement thereof, amember connected to the bar and responsive to the movements of thereceiver hook of the telephone, said member in one position maintainmthe shafts with their notches in automatic alignment to engage thepro'ections of the carriage and in the otherposition to move the shaftsto disalign the notches to free the carriage, and means connected to thecarriage to move the carriage and thereby the wheel to a predeterminednormal position when the shafts have been moved to a position to freethe carriage.

11. A recording device for use with dial telephones of thetype'including a receiver hook including a single member mounted forrotative and axial movements, a strip on which the characters of thewheel may be printed, a printing element for forcing the strip intoprinting contact with the wheel, a carriage to compel axial movement ofthe wheel, spaced shafts between which the carriage is mounted, theperipheries of the shafts being formed with notches to co-operate withprojections on the carriage, said shafts being mounted for rotativemovement, with one of the shafts capable of independent axial movement,means responsive to each dial movement to actuate the printing ele ment,means automatically responsive to and immediately following each dialmovement for moving the axially movable shalt a dis-- tance of one notchto thereby move the carriage and wheel a predetermined operativedistance, means for advancing the strip, and an element cooperating withthe receiver hook and operative on the release of said hook to rotatesaid shafts to move the notches therein out of cooperation with thecarriage and till simultaneously actuate the strip-feeding means foradvancing the, strip.

12. In a recorder for use with dial telephones of the type including amovable receiver hook, a single numbering wheel for printing dialindications, means for mount-- ing the wheel for rotative and axialmovement, a strip on which the wheel characters may be printed, aprinting element for torcing the strip into printing contact with thewheel, a carriage cooperating with the wheel to compel axial movement ofthe wheel in correspondence with the movement of the carriage, spacedshafts between which the carriage-is supported, peripheral notches onthe shafts cooperating with the projections on the carriage to hold thecarriage in predetermined relation to the shafts, means responsive todial movement for set ting the numbering wheel, means responsive to thecompletion of a dial movement for operating the printing element, meansautomatically set in the operation of the printing element forcompelling relative movement of said spaced shafts to advance thecarriage and thereby the numbering Wheel a predetermined distance, saidmeans being automatically actuated following the cessation of one dialoperation and the beginning of the next, and means responsive to thetelephone cut off movement of the receiver hook for simultaneouslymoving said shafts to withdraw the peripheral notches thereon fromcooperation with the projections on the carriage.

13. A recorder for use with dial telephones of the type including areceiver hook includmg a single numberin wheel, a strip on which thenumbering w eel characters may be printed, means responsive to dialactuat1on for rotating the numbering wheel, a printing element forforcing the strip into cooperation with the numbering wheel, a carriagefor moving the wheel axially, elements cooperating with the carriage toimpart a'.step by step feeding movement to the carriage and thereby tothe numbering wheel, a, rod operated in one direction at the completionof each dial movement, means for operating the rod automatically in theopposite direction following release of the dialat the completion of themovement, means actuated by the rod in that movement responsive to dialcompletion to actuate the printing element, means responsive to theautomatic operation of the rod for imparting tlli the carriage from thestep by step feeding movements.

14. A recorder for use with dial telephones of the type including areceiver hook includ ing'a single numbering wheel, a strip on A whichthe numbering wheel characters may be printed, means responsive to dialactuation for rotating the numbering wheel, a printing element forforcing the strip into cooperation with the numbering wheel, a carnagefor moving the wheel axially, elements cooperating with the carriage toimpart a step by step feeding movement to the carria e and thereby tothe numbering wheel, a r operated in one direction at the completionofeach dial movement, means for operating the rod automatically in theopposite direction following release ofthe dial at the comple tion ofthe movement, means actuated by the rod in that movement responsive todial completion to "actuate the printing element,

I means responsive to the automatic operation ing a single numberinwheel, a strip on which the numbering w eel characters may be printed,means responsive to dial actuation for rotating the numbering wheel, aprinting element for forcing the strip into cooperation with thenumbering wheel, a carriage for movin the wheel axially, elementscooperating wit the carriage to impart a step by step feeding movementto the carriage and thereby to the numbering wheel, a rod operated inone direction at the completion of each dial movement means foroperating the rod automatically 1n the opposite direction followingrelease of the dial at the completion of the movement, means actuated bythe rod in that movement responsive to dial completion to actuate theprinting element, means responsive to the automatic operation of the rodfor imparting a step by step movement to the carriage, an elementactuated in the telephone cut ofl movement of the receiver hook todisconnect the carriage from the step b step feeding movements, andprinting strip ceding means actuated by said element.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANK .LOWITZ.

